The present invention relates to a photographic film container having particular, but not exclusive, applicability to simple cameras, to a film assembly including such a container and to a loading method therefor.
In recent years cameras known variously as disposable or single-use cameras, or referred to by some as lens-fitted photographic film packages, have become increasingly popular. These are cameras of simple construction and low cost which are usually pre-loaded with film by the manufacturer. It is usually arranged that the film is unwound from the standard film cassette or patrone, and as pictures are sequentially taken the film is wound back into the cassette. Once the user finishes the film, the user returns the entire camera to the photolab for developing of the film. The manufacturer may then either discard the camera in its entirety, or subject to appropriate checks that the camera is still functional, re-load the camera. Alternatively the manufacturer may re-use specific components of the camera.
One consideration with such a camera is the ease of loading of the film, particularly given the requirement that the film must be pre-wound out of the film cassette before use. In view of the low cost of the camera itself manufacture and assembly costs are important, and this includes the cost of loading the film into the camera at the factory. It is highly desirable to utilize a method which is simple and cheap and yet reliable.
As the awareness of problems of environmental contamination increases, as well as for economic reasons, consumers are less willing to tolerate disposable products. It has previously been proposed by the applicant to provide a very simple and cheap camera of generally similar construction to a disposable camera and yet which includes adaptations allowing it to be re-used at least several times by a user.
The present invention seeks to provide a film container which can be used in combination with a conventional film patrone to facilitate a film pre-winding operation, to a film assembly comprising such a container and patrone, to a method of loading such an assembly and to a camera loaded with such an assembly.
In a first aspect the invention provides a photographic film-receiving container having a housing defining an elongate film slot through which, in use, the film may extend, and defining an aperture for insertion of a film-winding tool, with a movable shutter plate movably mounted on the container so as to be movable between an open position in which said aperture is unobscured and a closed position in which the aperture is closed.
The provision of the shuttered aperture in the container allows insertion and retraction of a film winding tool used to pre-wind film into the container, facilitating daylight winding utilizing a winding apparatus as discussed below.
In one embodiment the housing is open at one end which is closed by an end cover defining said aperture, the shutter plate being mounted on the end cover, and the shutter plate being pivotably mounted on the end cover and is provided with resilient means such as a leg spring to urge the plate into a closed position in which the aperture is obscured.
The end cover may comprise an assembly of first and second parallel plates having coincident apertures, together defining a cavity therebetween in which the shutter plate is arranged. One of the first and second plates has an upstanding peripheral flange which defines a step within which the other of the first or second plates sits. The end cover is connected to the housing through the first plate which is overlain by the second plate. The second plate may be provided with a collar portion surrounding its aperture.
In an alternative embodiment the housing is open at one end which is closed by an end cover which comprises an end cap closing said opening which is overlain by an end plate secured to the end cap on which said shutter plate is mounted, both said cap and end plate having co-axial apertures therethrough for insertion of the film winding tool. The end plate may comprise an assembly of first and second plates as described above.
In a further alternative embodiment the housing comprises a pair of housing shell halves which can be fitted together defining a film tool insertion aperture at one end, and defining the film slot between opposed surfaces on the two shell halves. In this embodiment the opposed surfaces are each provided with a layer of soft fabric or fabric-like material, such as velvet. The end of the housing is overlain by an end plate which is secured thereto and on which the shutter plate is mounted. In this case the end plate may also comprises an assembly of first and second plates as described above.
The invention also resides in a film package or assembly which is a combination of a conventional film patrone and a film container as described above housing a length of photographic film wound in a coil within the film container and extending through the film slot to the film patrone, and in a camera having such a film package or assembly therein.
The assembly allows a user to re-load a single-use type camera by simply fitting the assembly into the camera.
In a further aspect the invention may also reside in a photographic film-receiving container, having a housing comprising a pair of shell halves which together define a film slot through which, in use, film may extend, and defining an aperture for insertion of a film-winding tool, with a shutter plate movably mounted on the container so as to be movable between an open position in which said aperture is unobscured and a closed position in which the aperture is closed.
In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of loading film into a film assembly comprising a first film container, and a second film container having a housing defining a film slot therein and an end cover which defines at one end a film-winding tool aperture which is closed by a movable shutter plate, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first film container having a length of film wound therein; (b) inserting a film winding tool through the end cover of the container film container with the shutter open and securing a leading end of the film extending from the first film container onto the end of a film-winding tool; (c) inserting one of the housing or film-winding tool having the film secured thereto into or over the other of the film-winding tool or housing and securing the end cover to the housing; (d) enclosing the first and second film containers in a light-tight enclosure; (e) rotating the film winding tool to wind the majority of the film out of the first film container and into the second film container; (f) removing the end of the film winding tool from the second film container and closing the movable shutter plate to close the aperture; and (g) opening the enclosure and removing the film assembly.
The method allows film winding to be achieved in daylight using a very simple and compact light-tight enclosure, the shutter ensuring the film container is rendered light tight as the film winding tool is removed.
The method may use a second container where the end cover has a collar portion surrounding the aperture, and utilize a film winding tool having a support through which the tool extends, wherein during step (e) the collar abuts the support making a light-tight connection therewith. During step (f) the second film container is maintained abutting the support, thereby maintaining a light-tight connection therewith as the end of the film winding tool is withdrawn from the second film container.
In a further aspect the invention resides in a method of loading film into a camera having a pair of film chambers arranged on opposite sides of an exposure opening, and a camera back which closes the film chambers comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first film container having a length of film wound therein; (b) providing a second film container having a housing defining a film slot therein and an end cover which defines at one end a film winding tool aperture which is closed by a movable shutter plate; (c) inserting a film winding tool through the end cover of the second film container with the shutter open and securing a leading end of the film extending from the first film container onto the end of a film-winding tool; (d) inserting one of the housing or film-winding tool having the film secured thereto into or over the other of the film-winding tool or housing and securing the end cover to the housing; (e) enclosing the first and second film containers in a light-tight enclosure; (f) rotating the film winding tool to wind the majority of the film out of the first film container and into the second film container; (g) removing the end of the film winding tool from the second film container and closing the movable shutter plate to close the aperture; (h) opening the enclosure and removing the film assembly; and (i) placing the film assembly in the camera with the containers in respective chambers and closing the camera back.
The film container and film assembly may use either conventional colour or black and white film, but may additionally use film having pre-exposed latent images thereon. In this case the loading method involves at step (i) the additional step of ensuring that an alignment mark on the film is arranged in alignment with an alignment mark on the camera so as to ensure correct alignment of user-exposed images and pre-exposed images.
As an alternative to forming the film assembly by unwinding film housed in a conventional film patrone, the film may be unwound from a bulk roll. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of loading film into a film assembly comprising a first film container, and a second film container having a housing defining a film slot therein and an end cover which defines at one end a film-winding tool aperture which is closed by a movable shutter plate, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a length of film wound in a roll and having a leading end; (b) inserting a film winding tool through the end cover of the second film container with the shutter open and securing a leading end of the film extending from the roll onto the end of a film-winding tool; (c) inserting one of the housing or film-winding tool having the film secured thereto into or over the other of the film-winding tool or housing and securing the end cover to the housing; (d) enclosing the second film container in a light-tight enclosure in communication with the roll of film; (e) rotating the film winding tool to wind the film from the roll and into the second film container on the film-winding tool; (f) cutting the film extending from the second film container to sever it from the roll; (g) removing the end of the film winding tool from the second film container and closing the movable shutter plate to close the aperture; (h) opening the enclosure and removing the second film container with the film wound therein; and (i) securing the free end extending from the second film container to a first film container.
The first film container may be a conventional film patrone having a central spool, the free end of the film which has been cut from the roll being secured to a spool of the first film container.